Moving to Switzerland from New Zealand
What to Expect
Considering a move from New Zealand to Switzerland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New Zealand to Switzerland, you would find that Switzerland is 2.1 times more expensive than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly CHF118,037 in Switzerland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New Zealand and Switzerland.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → CHF118,037
To maintain the same standard of living in Switzerland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 80.4% more
Transportation
pay 78.9% more
Housing
pay 75.5% more
Childcare
pay 3.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 73.4% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Switzerland cost about 114% more than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New Zealand to Switzerland.
people moved from New Zealand to Switzerland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Switzerland compared to New Zealand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Switzerland performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Switzerland performs significantly better than New Zealand across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
New Zealand generally does better on infrastructure, though Switzerland leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
New Zealand generally does better on employment & economy, though Switzerland leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Switzerland leads in life expectancy.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Wellington | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 41°/30°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 70°/53°F (21°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 46°/36°F (8°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Bern |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 36°/27°F (2.0°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.9°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 47°/33°F (8.3°/0.6°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 55°/39°F (12.6°/3.7°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 63°/46°F (17.3°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 69°/51°F (20.5°/10.8°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 73°/55°F (23.0°/12.8°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 72°/54°F (22.0°/12.4°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 66°/50°F (18.8°/10.0°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 56°/43°F (13.3°/6.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.9°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
MeteoSwiss - Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand and Switzerland. To live, work, or study long-term in Switzerland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Switzerland's immigration authority.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Switzerland
Visa Free
Switzerland passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Switzerland than New Zealand?
On average Switzerland is around 95% pricier than New Zealand, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Switzerland?
Budget about CHF29,509 for 3 months in Switzerland (based on a NZ$130,152 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Switzerland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Switzerland: 47.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Switzerland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Switzerland safe for expats?
Switzerland performs significantly better than New Zealand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Switzerland is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Switzerland compared to New Zealand?
Switzerland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though New Zealand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Switzerland, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Switzerland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Switzerland compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Bern is 55°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Bern receives around 42.8 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Switzerland?
The official languages in Switzerland are French, Italian, Romansh and Swiss German. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
